The Alt Weekly Roundup (5/1)
Posted: by The Editor
The Alternative Weekly Roundup is a column where our staff plugs a variety of new releases in a concise, streamlined format. Albums, singles, videos, and live sets. Check back each Monday to see what we were jamming the week prior.
Silver Car Crash – “Pleasure Zone”
Silver Car Crash’s new track “Pleasure Zone” seems to find itself in the open space left in the bouncy interplay between the mesmeric guitar riff in the upper register and the melodic bassline in the lower. Vocalist Justin Bennett fills that void with lines like “I couldn’t stand myself until I learned to live alone,” “I wanted to escape my life,” and “I couldn’t understand anything that I would dream” before dispensing with all unnecessary images and falling into the repetition of “accuracy.” A repetition which drops out itself, letting the somewhat entrancing riff have the last word. Silver Car Crash’s sick new record Shattered Shine is out on Crafted Sounds and Michi Tapes this June.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
James Ivy – Everything Perfect
Between record scratches and full-color bursts of guitar, 23-year-old James Ivy crafts ‘90s-inspired pop rock par excellence on Everything Perfect, a soundtrack to a coming-of-age movie never made. At a tight 28 or so minutes, it’s all caffeine and sugar—without the comedown.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Dead Billionaires – “Straight Shooter”
There are people that will ignore signs that they’re not doing well and will eventually succumb to numbness. Punk rock trio Dead Billionaires have given us a song and music video just about that—also reminding us that there will be parties to escape it all. “Straight Shooter” is that song and it’s from the band’s upcoming LP, Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book, out June 2nd via Possum Lick Farms Records.
Jazmin Lemus | @_Jazmin
Rex Tycoon – What’s Good
Rex Tycoon’s new EP What’s Good blasts off with a largely wordless and absolutely rocking opener before settling into a run of three killer garage rock tracks. “Skin” pairs a hauntingly catchy ’90s vocal melody in the chorus with shouted, heavier verses, while slacker anthem “Bad Habits” makes an endearing refrain out of “every time I try to kick one of these old bad habits / all I seem to get is my ass kicked.” It’s all capped off with “Never Again,” a musical boilermaker that washes down the sting of the lyrics with the smooth slide guitar lines. Tapes of What’s Good are available through Pop Wig Records.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
Balmora – With Thorns of Glass and Petals of Grief
In a year that’s given plenty of great debuts for heavy music, Balmora’s may be the best. With Thorns of Glass and Petals of Grief harkens back to an older style of metalcore forged by Undying and Prayer for Cleansing. There’s plenty of tremolo picking interspersed between thudding breakdowns. Even the name of the EP alone conjures memories of the late ‘90s without feeling like soulless band worship.
Hugo Reyes | @hvreyes5
Gabe ‘Nandez – Pangea
On his latest album, New York rapper Gabe ‘Nandez turns in his tightest, darkest work yet. While ‘Nandez’s projects tend to be lean–out of eight albums, only two have more than eight tracks–Pangea takes things a step farther. In barely over 20 minutes he snarls through tales of COVID isolation and teenage drug use. It’s also got some of his most soulful beats (“Trust”) and some of his most radio-ready flows (“Angels,” “Transactions”).
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Julez and the Rollerz – “Wildest Fantasy”
The hardest rocking of the new Julez and the Rollerz singles, “Wildest Fantasy” almost feels like a mini trilogy. Part one is the jaunty, stuck-in-a-rut rocker the track starts out as, part two is the devolution to the question “oh is this where the party is? / In the depths of hell / where I don’t feel so alive?” Then part three uses that final chunk of “I don’t feel so alive” as a blasting off point into an explosive, freeing ending of “even the real ones will cry at night.” The tune is the third off Julez and the Rollerz’ Is This Where The Party Is?, out May 19th with tapes available through the group’s Bandcamp.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
Farseek – “Thanks for Saving My House from Burning Down”
Farseek takes cues from alt-country on “Thanks for Saving My House from Burning Down,” a pop rock track with the swing of a folk standard.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
The Alternative’s ‘New Music Friday’ playlist
Each week our editor Lindsy Carrasquillo compiles a playlist of songs our staff has been jamming. We post it on Fridays on Twitter and then include it in each edition of the Weekly Roundup to make sure you don’t miss any of the great music we’re recommending.
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